Khun Pic's Bahn Thai — Restaurant in Portland

Since we never got to eat any food here, I can't give a rating of the food, but I can of the experience. When we arrived, we found a sign asking us to wait to be seated, but no sign of service. We stood there a few minutes, and then remembered they are a cash only restaurant. So I left on foot to the closest ATM, five blocks away. When I returned several minutes later, I found my spouse still standing at the door. She had just, two minutes before, spoken with a staff person, who had initially ignored her, coming out briefly, taking on his cell phone, going back into the kitchen, and on his second trip out spoke to her only after she approached him. He said that while he could seat us, it would be at least an hour before we would be served, as they only had one cook, and there were two parties of four people, plus a few parties of two already seated and waiting. As she looked around, she noticed that none of the patrons had any food, even though they had been open for over an hour and a half. Before she got the attention of the wait staff, she had also noticed that the patrons, while chatting quietly, seemed a bit nonplussed about the situation. One patron got her attention and told her that it is always like this, but the food is worth it. Maybe it is, or maybe it's cognitive dissonance, we will never know. Perhaps the most disappointing thing was that there was no effort of the part of the wait staff to explain other than to say they only have one cook, and no apology...

Belmont is home to some wonderful traditions - the little yellow shop at SE 20th that deals in car batteries, the amazing Movie Madness, and, if you can find it behind the vines, Khun Pic's. The food and the experience are well worth the search and the leisurely pace that makes dining here an experience. I was not able to confirm this, but I firmly believe that my sources were reliable when I heard that the chef at Khun Pic's and the chef at Lemongrass are sisters, and that their parents ran Bangkok Kitchen that used to be at 25th and Belmont. Whether this is true or not, Lemongrass and Khun Pic's have a lot in common - located in old houses, basically 2 person operations, and phenomenal food. We recently made our first Covid era visit, and the menu seemed somewhat pared down from what I recall, but there was no trouble finding more tempting things listed than we could have possibly eaten. The fried tofu with peanut sauce was a highlight - if I could reliably know that tofu would be prepared this well, I'd order it more often. The patio here is one of the nicest outdoor dining spaces I've ever been to. Pro tip - the chef at Khun Pic's has been known to decide to shut down early, so arriving early boosts your chances for getting fed on a given evening. Don't expect fast food, but do expect...

If you're looking for an unforgettable Thai dining experience, look no further than this Portland gem. From the moment you step inside, you'll be transported to Thailand with the authentic decor and warm atmosphere.

But it's the food that truly sets this restaurant apart. Every dish is bursting with flavor, with a perfect balance of sweet, sour, salty, and spicy notes that will have your taste buds dancing. This matches if not surpasses places in Thailand.

Fried tofu: 10/0 Pad Thai: 9.5/10 Thai fried rice: 10/10 Cat fish: 10/10 Green curry: 9.5/10 Papaya salad: 9/10 Salad roll: 7.5/10 (but I’m allergic to peanuts and couldn’t eat the peanut sauce, which everyone in our group said is the best peanut sauce they’ve ever had)

The restaurant is over 25 years old, and is run completely by a lovely couple. They can only serve a certain amount of people per evening so be sure to plan ahead and come early.

Overall, if you're looking for an authentic and unforgettable Thai dining experience, this restaurant is not...